


TMNT drabbles

by SkeletonHellflame



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003)
Genre: Criminal gangs, Eck'tshya (Original Alien Species), Gen, Hellhounds gang, Iviana's Hellhounds, Original Alien Species - Freeform, Triceraton Republic, Triceratons - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-12
Updated: 2019-04-12
Packaged: 2019-08-01 03:47:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 6,278
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16277219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkeletonHellflame/pseuds/SkeletonHellflame
Summary: Short little stories centered around my Triceratons of the TMNT Universe, more specifically my gang the Hellhounds.Won't be linear and will be updated whenever I have inspiration.





	1. Disappointment and punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Zedra and Dione disappointing Iviana and faces the consequences

Iviana's tail twitched.

Twitched.

She was clearly angry. Dione winced and Zedra cowered.

Iviana narrowed her eyes at the two females.  
"Care to explain?" she asked slowly and with deceptive calm as she crossed her arms over her chest.

As expected, Zedra caved first--she never could stand Iviana's disappointment.  
"We're really sorry!" she pleaded. "We didn't think it would end up like that, we didn't know the guards would walk past right then!"

"You. Were. Almost. _Caught_ ," Iviana hissed. "Nearly _shot_."

Dione and Zedra hung their heads, too aware of how close it had been. They were also aware of having worried their leader, neither of the two wanted that. A worried Iviana wasn't fun to deal with, especially not when that worry turned to anger or disappointment.

"You should be thankful that Aikaterine were close by and saved your sorry tails," Iviana added.

"We are," Dione said meekly. "We're sorry, we really are. It was irresponsible of us to go out for some fun when we knew the dangers."

"You better try avoid such excursions in the future, at least while the manhunt is going on." Iviana finally started to sound like her usual gruff self, but neither of the other two females relaxed. "As for punishment, you two will be on cleaning duty until I say otherwise."

Zedra _almost_ protested, but shut her mouth quickly when she saw the glare Iviana leveled at her.

"Yes ma'am," Zedra and Dione chorused.

They _knew_ the others in the gang would do their best at making their punishment worse by giving them more to clean and would do little in cleaning up after themselves, leaving it to the two.  
Complaining about it to either Iviana, Leocaedia or Nat'cha was useless as it was supposed to be a _punishment_.

Iviana made a dismissive gesture and the two younger females immediately scurried away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The other Hellhounds can be right arses when they think someone has deserved it.  
> Cleaning duty sucks in general, but the gang has made it their duty to make it worse for those who have been punished with it and make little effort in aiding them. Normally they're all very tidy and does their best at cleaning up their own messes.


	2. Baking monster

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Melpomene terrifying Leocaedia with her manic and excessive baking.

Leocaedia stared. She barely registered her mouth falling open.  
"Mel..." she began tentatively. "What...?"

Melpomene twirled around, looking at Leocaedia with a manic glint in her eyes.  
"I'm baking!" she exclaimed cheerfully.

Leocaedia continued to stare at the mounds of various pastries and cakes and whatnot.  
"I... can see that," she said slowly, as though unsure. "Why... so much...?"

"Stress!" Mel chirped, her expression turning even more manic. "We nearly lost Iviana again, we can't have that. No, Leo, I can't deal with managing without her again."

Leocaedia was starting to wonder if she should have left without saying anything. Melpomene was clearly _terrifying_ when she was stress baking, or was it _distress_ baking?

"We lost her for seven years to prison and the _Arena_ , now the bastards almost managed to _kill her_ ," Melpomene continued, not losing the crazed look. "So I thought baking would be a good way to manage it while she recuperates in the infirmary."

Leocaedia slowly nodded.  
"I'll... leave you to it," she said while carefully backing away.

Suddenly Melpomene was in her face.  
"Not before you take this!" she said before forcing something into Leocaedia's hands. "Now shoo and eat it!"

Leocaedia was promptly turned around and shoved out from the kitchen, the door swooshed closed behind her back and she finally looked at what she had in her hands. A muffin or cupcake of some kind...?  
She carefully took a bite and was pleasantly surprised that it was completely harmless and tasting way too good.

Despite fearing for whoever else stumbled into the kitchens, she didn't think of warning anyone. Unless Antigonos had already managed it. He had, after all, fled moments before Leocaedia herself made the mistake of entering what now was clearly Melpomene's domain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoever said that baking isn't terrifying has never met a stressed nor a distressed Melpomene.  
> Doesn't change the fact that whatever she bakes, is delicious.


	3. Resolve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Hellhounds are finding their resolve to free their leader.

Their ship slowly moved in space, within Triceraton Republic territory, but no one seemed to pay attention to it.

They all stared at the screen, some with blank expressions and others worried. They never knew if _this_ time would be the last time they would see her alive, if she would finally end up making a fatal mistake ending in her death.

No one wished to voice that fear.

They all watched in silence, hoping for the best possible outcome.

The gladitorial games were barbaric, but so many supported it and considered it a suitable punishment for criminals and traitors--to fight to the death for entertainment.

Iviana was one of the few females, and one of the few to have survived for several _years_.

The Hellhounds had made several failed attempts at getting her away from there.  
Hope decreased each year and moreso at each failed attempt.

Leocaedia clenched her fists, her claws biting into her skin. Watching Iviana beating another unfortunate soul pitted against her--giving them a swift death--steeled her resolve.  
_Next time they would succeed_.

"We need to plan," she whispered to Nat'cha as she continued to stare at the screen.

The Eck'tshya glanced at her through the corner of her eye.  
"Yes," she said.

"We won't fail her another time," Kaesa nearly growled. The scarred old female glared determinedly at the screen, even though Iviana had already vacated the Arena to let someone else fight.

They watched as a few spectators left, some had only come to watch the _Games_ for Iviana.

"No," Leocaedia murmured softly as she crossed her arms, "this time she will be united with us again."

The other two nodded in agreement.

Failure, was not an option.


	4. Unbreakable

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iviana's musings during the last hours of her imprisonment.

Iviana stared out the cell bars, glaring at what little she could see of the opposite wall, she despised the life she had to live. The life she had to have lived for the past seven years--if the guards could be trusted.

Time was an abstract thing when your life consisted of sitting in a cell, training with fellow gladiators and fighting to the death for the _entertainment_ of the people. Day in and day out.

She sneered.

Barbarians. All of them.

And yet, she was the one considered a barbarian. She, who had been forced to this life by higher ups in the Republic who wished to see a lowly female like herself dead.

She snorted.

 _Republic_ , she thought with derision. Dictatorship, more like it.

She wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of dying anytime soon, she swore to fight and _live_ for as long as she was able. Just to _spite_ them all.

She was doing a good job so far, being one of the longest surviving gladiators in the history of the Arena.

She wasn’t certain it was anything to brag about. The people certainly thought so, the way they chanted her name whenever it was her turn to fight some poor soul pitted against her.  
It had become a force of habit to give them a quick and merciful death, no need to prolong their suffering. Of course, some always had a too strong will to live, making it difficult for her.

It certainly reminded her to live as well, if they can fight so ferociously for their own lives then so could she.

She was going to get out, she was going to reunite with her Hellhounds and resume leading them again. They would make the lives of the Republic’s leadership _hell_ once more.

She was going to show them all that she is a force to be reckoned with.

Iviana bows to _no one_.

She is unbreakable.

  
She followed the sound of a guard pair making their rounds, glared at them for the short moment she could see them through the cell bars and slowly allowed herself to grin when she heard the telltale sound of the two guards being quietly assassinated.

She heard them slump down.

Her _freedom_ is near.


	5. Knowing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Glimpses of Iviana's past from when she was 6 until she's 27 and what she knew at each point in time.

Iviana is only six and there aren’t many things she knows. What she does know is that when her father returns with his breath smelling awful and his balance being off, it means trouble.

He yells and he hits her mother. Occasionally also her brother or herself.

At least Dieera and Miire are spared, they are the youngest; a newly hatched and a toddler.

 

Iviana is only seven and she knows that her mother won’t return. Her mother has left her and her siblings with their drunk and abusive father.

Mother left days ago and father is somehow getting worse.

Father leaves barely a month later and doesn’t return. It’s only Iviana and her siblings left in the sorry excuse of a house, they are left to fend for themselves.

 

Iviana is eight and she knows that she hates the world and its unfairness. She has to steal to ensure that Miire and Dieera are getting fed, occasionally she has to be without because she couldn’t steal enough for the three of them.

Rivie is of no use, he only thinks of himself. He _taunts_ them with what he has managed to get his hands on and stuffs his face with the food, knowing that they are hungry.

 

Iviana is nine and she knows she’s constantly hungry and tired. At least her younger siblings are doing somewhat well, or at least as well as she can ensure them to be.

She’s getting better at stealing, but it’s never enough. She can’t _carry_ enough.

 

Iviana is ten and she knows she’s getting sick of their lot in life. They speak of the _benevolence_ of the Republic and its leader, but she sees none of it (not that she knows what the word means).

Miire and Dieera are still alive and fed, but they are all too thin to be healthy.

 

Iviana is eleven and she has had enough, she runs away. Leaving her siblings, like her parents before her.

She doesn’t think of that, she only thinks of _survival_.

 

Iviana is twelve and she knows she has been lucky when she has avoided the more… _unsavory_ people, those who preys upon small females like her.

Life is still hard, but at least she can eat more than she has ever been able to. Everything she steals is for herself.

She occasionally thinks of her younger siblings, wondering how they are and if Rivie ever bothered to look after them.  
It’s something she doesn’t want to think too much on.

 

Iviana is thirteen and knows that she’s still too weak to defend herself, it grates on her.  
All she has is her speed and agility.

 

Iviana is fourteen and knows that it is time to change it, it is time for her to get _stronger_.  
She’ll be strong enough to defend herself, strong enough to chase others away with little effort on her part.

 

Iviana is fifteen and knows that she still isn’t strong enough. She can defeat _some_ , but not all.  
It is not enough.

It doesn’t matter what her new friend tells her, it is not enough.

 

Iviana is sixteen and she knows that she’s stronger than ever before, but it isn’t enough.

Leocaedia and Maximea tries to convince her otherwise, it is futile.

 

Iviana is seventeen and she’s already the leader of a gang called the Hellhounds, they consist only of females who wishes to take their own lives into their hands and refuse to bow down to the patriarchy.

 

Iviana is eighteen and they have stolen a prototype spaceship from the Republic, along with several small fighters. The gang is no longer all-female.

They explore space, most of them have never seen anything other than the shards of their homeworld.

 

Iviana is nineteen and she knows something is about to happen, she knows it in her very _bones_.

Months later she and two of her Hellhounds are captured and thrown into prison.

 

Iviana is twenty and has been forced to become a participant of the _Games_. A sick entertainment to appease the public and to ensure that the more troublesome inmates are offed quickly.

She isn’t so easily defeated.

 

Iviana is twenty-one and she has become renowned, she knows it isn’t anything to be proud of. All she wants is to _live_.

 

Iviana is twenty-two and she knows that people fear her, she has taken her wish to be strong to an extreme--for a female at least.

She wants to _survive_.

 

Iviana is twenty-three and she knows that her wish for freedom is the only thing to keep her going. She wants to be free and to make the people responsible for her current despicable existence _suffer_.

 

Iviana is twenty-four and she knows she’s only fighting for survival.

At least her Hellhounds haven’t given up on her, she has heard the guards speak of their attempts at rescuing her.

 

Iviana is twenty-five and she knows that her anger is getting worse, she can’t even remember the last time she felt even remotely happy.

She can’t remember the last time she laughed, genuinely or not.

 

Iviana is twenty-six and she realises that she apparently _can_ hate the world more than she already does.

She keeps defeating her opponents, giving them swift deaths and take away the fun from the spectators who wants to see blood and suffering.

Still they chant her name.

 

Iviana is twenty-seven and she is finally free.

Her gang has grown from the smaller size it used to be before her imprisonment and she feels proud of her adopted sister for how she has managed during all these years.

She has gotten a small child dumped on her, it gives her something to force away her anger at the world. She gets too attached to the little girl and the girl to her, she can’t give her up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tiny glimpses of Iviana's life from when she was six until she's twenty-seven.


	6. Team Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iviana has to team up with four other Triceraton females for a match and she isn't particularly happy about it.

Iviana glanced at the four smaller females and quietly bemoaned having to team up with them.

The four were a team already, the “Female All-Stars”.

She snorted quietly and wondered if the four knew they were made fun of, that their supposed “All-Stars” label was a joke.  
They were pitiful, it was only Hermonia that Iviana had any respect for.

Hermonia valued strength, just like her. She was also calculating, a positive trait.

Hera and Andromeda were too _playful_ , as though being a gladiator wasn’t a serious thing.

Pandora, despite being the leader of the team, was far too hot-headed to be a good leader. Charging in and letting her anger get the better of her.

It was a wonder that the latter three hadn’t lost their lives already, in Iviana’s cynical opinion.

She could tell that Pandora wasn’t all to hot on the idea of losing her leadership title in this match, even though Iviana would happily relinquish that title and resume her one-on-one matches—or the matches where she was pitted against multiple opponents in a bid to off her.

Alas, she had to endure this match and do her best to force the team of four to listen to her and not go off on their own nor to look to Pandora for orders.

They had only had the previous evening to prepare and strategise, they were woefully unprepared to meet the team of prisoners pitted against them. They were also only allowed small knives as weapons.

Iviana had to hope for the best.

“Remember that _I_ am the leader now,” she growled to the four. “Don’t try to run off doing your own thing.”

Hermonia merely nodded.

Pandora still didn’t look happy and Iviana could only _hope_ she wouldn’t be obstinate.

Andromeda and Hera acquiesced with their usual carelessness, as though this wasn’t an impending fight to the death.

The organisers of this match had been kind enough to let them enter through a different entrance rather than being raised from below. It gave them—or rather Iviana—much needed moments to assess their opponents who were restlessly awaiting them.

The crowds were still settling in, hence the wait before the team of females were allowed in.

Iviana observed the prisoners, they were all fully dressed in their prison jumpsuits, disregarding any tears from fighting either a fellow prisoner or attempting to fight off the guards dragging them to the Arena. Still they were fully protected, more than Iviana could say of herself and _especially_ the other four.

One was a Triceraton, one a human and the other three of other alien races she couldn’t be bothered to identify.  
All males. Except… no, one of the unidentified aliens was a female. What a surprise.

“I take the Triceraton,” she said, he was the biggest one of the lot and it only made sense to her to take him on. “Hermonia takes the human, Pandora takes the green alien, Andromeda the blue and Hera the white. Whoever defeats their opponent first, lends their aid to whoever struggles with theirs. Understood?”

She levelled a glare at them for good measure.

Hermonia merely nodded again and glared through narrowed eyes at her opponent, trying to gauge his strengths and weaknesses.

“Yes,” the other three replied, more or less grudgingly.

The gate finally started to rise and soon they would be allowed to crush these idiots pitted against them.

Iviana couldn’t wait to be rid of the responsibility of a team she had only had a singular training session with and who didn’t meet her preferred standards. She missed her Hellhounds.

The five walked out onto the Arena, the prisoners sneering or even _leering_ at them.

Disgusting creatures. At least she wasn’t the subject of their leers, small mercies.

They faced the _dictator_ calling himself a democratic leader, sat on his ridiculous throne high above them.

“ _We who are about to die, salute you!_ ”  
The prisoners and the Female All-Stars yelled while bringing their right fists to the left side of their chests in a swift motion.

Iviana didn’t even bother with pretences and merely glared murderously at Zanramon.

At least it seemed that Hermonia merely pretended to salute the bastard. Pandora seemed grudging about her own salute.

Zanramon soon gave the signal for the match to begin and the female Triceratons quickly turned around to avoid being taken by surprise.

Iviana snorted and bared her teeth at the fellow Triceraton and was pleased that he got the hint.

The other females with her fanned out to her sides and made eye contact with their opponents, forcing the prisoners to subconsciously choose the correct gladiator.

The male Triceraton charged first.

Anger management issues, Iviana could work with that. Let him waste energy on keeping up his anger and let him make the mistake of losing himself to a mindless rage.

Iviana had to trust that the others would keep the other prisoners busy, ensuring that she wouldn’t be attacked when she was busy with the Triceraton male.

She dodged his first punch.

She turned around and prepared for his next attack; another attempt at a punch. How utterly predictable.  
This time, however, she caught his arm and _twisted_.

The male fell with a strangled yell, rolled to avoid Iviana’s fist and swiftly got back up on his feet.

Little did he know, Iviana was merely _toying_ with him and quickly decided she didn’t have the patience to draw this fight out. He wasn’t worth it.

A quick glance around told her that the other females were doing fine against their own opponents.

The male believed her distracted and took the opportunity to jump at her to tackle her to the ground.

Iviana allowed it and used the momentum to throw him off, knocking the winds out of him as he landed.  
Wasting no time, Iviana grabbed a concealed knife and plunged it into his heart. Killing him within moments.

The spectators roared in delight at the bloodshed, but Iviana paid them no mind as she quickly turned her attention back to the other four and yanked out the knife from his chest.

She found Hera pinned down by her opponent, the unidentified alien female. She suspected that either Hera had made a mistake or simply underestimated the alien’s will to survive.

Wasting no time she approached quickly while the alien was distracted, grabbed her and in a swift motion broke her neck. Rest in peace.

“Alright?” she grunted as she held a hand forward for Hera to grab all the while she kept watch over the others fights.

“Yeah, thanks,” Hera sighed in relief and grabbed Iviana’s larger hand to allowed herself to be dragged up on her feet again as though she weighed nothing.

“Good, lend aid to Andromeda and I will aid Pandora,” Iviana continued and wasted no time in approaching Pandora and her opponent. Trusting that Hera would do as told, and swiftly.

Neither of the two sisters seemed to be faring well against their opponents. It was clear that the green alien were one of those who were stronger than they seemed and Pandora didn’t have the advantage of her swords in this match.

Iviana swiftly moved to her aid and plunged her already bloody knife into the green alien’s back—once again to the delight of the crowds.

“I could have defeated him!” Pandora growled angrily.

Iviana shot her an unimpressed glare.  
“From my point of view, he was close to defeat _you_ ,” she hissed. “You need to learn to accept when you take on more than you can manage or you will end up _dead_.”

Despite the clear hostility she felt from the smaller female, she did not more away from her and contented herself with watching Hermonia defeat the human without much problem. And Hera and Andromeda defeat the blue alien in a good show of teamwork.

The crowd roared as the gladiators turned to look up at Zanramon for his final verdict.

Unfortunately for him, he was forced to appear approving. It was clear he had been hoping for the death of at least one of the gladiators.

Barely awaiting the _permission_ to leave the arena, Iviana turned around and headed for the exit. The other females almost scrambling to follow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eh, the end ended up sloppy and I am a novice at writing fight scenes, which most likely shows.
> 
> Disclaimer: Borrowed my friend's four Triceraton females for this with her permission, Yvetje at deviantART.


	7. Escape

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iviana escapes from prison with the help of her Hellhounds.

Iviana rose up when she heard the guards slump down and didn’t stop the small smirk forming on her face.  
She could taste freedom.

The cell door opened with a quiet _woosh_.  
“Time to leave, boss,” Apollonis said cheerfully as he swiftly moved out of her way and handed her a gun.

It felt wonderful to hold a firearm for the first time since her capture.  
“Free the others and let us leave,” she grunted.

“On it!” Apollonis quickly began opening the other cell doors on one side of the corridor, while Aikaterine took the other.

Nat’cha, one of the Eck’tshya, appeared next to Iviana.  
“More guards are on their way here, we need to be quick,” she said while observing a pad in her hand. It showed the guards’ movements.

“The hangar,” Iviana said.

Nat’cha grinned.  
“Definitely.”

Once the final cells were opened, the Hellhounds started to move. A few of the gladiators followed them, while others decided to try their luck in finding their own way out.  
Two more guards fell before them.

“Good to see you again!” Dan’terja, another Eck’tshya, proclaimed with a grin. “The others are ensuring our escape to be as unhindered as possible.”

Iviana nodded in acknowledgement. “Let’s not make them wait.”

They moved swiftly after that, taking down those foolish enough to try to take them on without backup; the Hellhounds were on a mission and the gladiators weren’t going to allow themselves to be caught again.

Far too soon, however, they encountered not only guards but also military personnel and they were forced to take cover to avoid their blaster fire.

“Backup?” Iviana growled.

“On their way,” Nat’cha replied. “They should be here… now.”

The newly arrived Hellhounds took the guards and soldiers by surprise and managed to dispose of them with minimal injuries to themselves.

“Hurry!” Leocaedia urged.

The next several minutes were a flurry of activity and blaster fire, it was hard to keep track. Everyone focussed on getting away alive and taking down as many guards and soldiers as possible.

Finally they entered the hangar, still under heavy blaster fire.

Demostrate dragged one of the freed gladiators out of the way and provided cover fire, completely missing the near starstruck look the light coloured Triceraton gave her.  
“Stay behind me,” she ordered and barely acknowledged the response.

She took down a couple of soldiers and none too gently shoved the other Triceraton behind cover before following, it wasn’t the time to be gentle when lives were on the line.  
She quickly checked where the other Hellhounds and gladiators were and was pleased to note that the were all accounted for.

“We need to get onto the ships,” someone hissed into the comms, the crackle making it hard to identify the owner of the voice.

“Let’s take Zanramon’s Space cruiser,” Pherenike replied in a far too calm tone considering the situation. “It has enough room for us.”

“And a couple of the fighters,” Kaesa added. “We’ll need the additional firepower they can provide. Disable the rest.”

Demostrate saw her elder sister make her way to the Space cruiser under the others cover fire, tense until she saw her board it without trouble.  
“Let’s move,” she ordered the gladiator with her while grabbing her by the arm.

She kept the other female behind herself as she took them to the cruiser.  
“Get inside!” she ordered and the other complied. Demostrate herself remained outside to provide cover for those running into the ship.

She saw Dread, Myrrine, Silvane and Kaesa enter four of the fighters.

Suddenly she saw one of the guards turn on the others, swiftly recognising him as one of their own who had been undercover. It was lucky no one of their own had accidentally taken him down.

“Get inside,” Iviana ordered. “We need to leave _now_.”

Demostrate did as told along with several others who had been waiting for the order and saw Chrysanthos, the undercover guard, run toward them while the four in the fighters provided them with cover fire.

Iviana had barely gotten inside and closed the ramp when the cruiser rose from the hangar floor with a light jerk.  
“Everyone accounted for?” she asked.

“Yes,” Maximea confirmed. “Though we have minor injuries, apart from Nat’cha.”

Demostrate jerked around at that and spotted Nat’cha on a couch with Flavia and Kallistrate fussing over her, she could hardly believe that she had missed it. It was a lot of blood, but she seemed stable and she could breathe out despite knowing that they weren’t safe yet.  
It had to have happened in the hangar, she was sure she would have noticed if it had happened earlier.

Looking around she spotted the gladiator she had protected, standing a few steps away from her.  
The pale Triceraton stared at Demostrate and she had no idea what went on in her mind.

“I’m Demostrate,” she introduced herself and barely reacted to the cruiser jerking when it got shot. She had to admit to herself that she was rather cute, something she would never have anticipated to ever think of a _gladiator_.

The other female continued to stare, before she suddenly seemed to realise that she was supposed to reply.  
“Pandora,” she said impressively evenly. “Thank you for saving me.”

Demostrate smiled. “It’s what we do,” she said before she internally cringed at her thoughtless words. _That isn’t how you responded to gratitude, stupid stupid stupid_.

Suddenly Pandora tensed and her eyes widened. “Where’s my sister?” she asked in half panic as she looked around, before spotting another one of the gladiators with her colouration standing behind the blue gladiator.

Demostrate watched her just about sprinting over to them. She could hardly blame her, she would probably have checked on her own sister if she hadn’t already known that she was piloting the ship.

She let out a quiet sigh, they were all soon safe and on their way to the Mothership. It was only a matter of minutes now. In the meanwhile she needed to make herself useful.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't say I'm particularly happy with the outcome of this, there's details I would like to add but can't get into words.  
> Also, it clearly switches from Iviana's POV to Demostrate's, because I wished to show Demostrate's and Pandora's first encounter with each other.
> 
> Pandora, her sister (Andromeda), the blue gladiator (Hermonia) and the unmentioned Hera belongs to Yvetje at deviantArt.


	8. Salvation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Euthalia's story of the first time she met the Hellhounds.

Euthalia had been planning for this day for _weeks_ now and could only hope that it would be a success.  
Her husband had started to get even worse in his behaviour against her and their daughter, she couldn’t take much more.

“Goodbye, love,” she said and kissed her husband, as she always did every morning as he left for his work in the Army.  
Acting normal was the key, he couldn’t be allowed to suspect that anything was amiss.

“Bye, dear,” Rivie replied with a smirk, thinking that he had a perfectly demure — _broken_ — wife who did everything he wished.  
He soon left.

Euthalia allowed herself to breathe out before she quickly entered her daughter’s room to wake her up. She wasn’t supposed to wake her for another half hour, but time was of the essence.

“Wake up dearest,” she said softly.

“Mummy?” Aristomache mumbled sleepily as she rubbed her eyes.

“You need to wake up now, remember what we talked about last week?”

Aristomache nodded.

“It is time, so get up and get ready to leave soon. I will fetch our bags while you eat, alright?”

Aristomache immediately got out of bed, got dressed and scurried off to the kitchen while Euthalia got their bags.  
She had been slowly packing them for days to avoid her husband noticing anything amiss and took care in returning the bags to their original places so that he wouldn’t have any reason to suspect that she was leaving.

She stood waiting in the hallway, wringing her hands as she tried to force herself into allowing her daughter to eat in peace. Who knew when they would get food the next time or if they would even succeed with the plan.  
There was a chance that they would be forced to return to the apartment and Rivie would be furious with them, she didn’t dare to think of what could happen to them if it came to that.

It had felt like forever before Aristomache scurried into the hallway.  
“I’m ready, mum,” she said quietly, clearly worried.

“Let’s go then,” Euthalia said softly as she hefted her bag and helped her daughter with hers.  
She took her daughter’s hand, opened the door and they finally left. Hopefully to never return again.

  
They quietly made their way through the city on various transports and took care in acting as normal as possible. As though they were simply a mother-daughter duo going on a small vacation, rather than escaping the clutches of their abuser.

Their goal was the big marketplace, Euthalia had heard word of the Hellhounds having been seen there on several occasions and hoped that this would be one of those times.  
She was aware that it wouldn’t be an easy feat identifying them, despite the gang having an easily identified uniform it didn’t mean that they never went incognito.

Finally reaching the marketplace had her nearly lose hope, it was massive and was already bustling with people. She determinedly refused to let it show as to not worry her daughter.

“Keep an eye on everyone you see,” she said quietly. She had already instructed her what she was meant to do, a young child could easily get away with blatantly staring at people and blame it on mere curiosity.

  
It felt like they had been walking around for hours, with Euthalia pretending to look at what the people offered in their stalls and Aristomache looking at just about everything and everyone with a believable look of wonder.

Euthalia didn’t look where she was going when she accidentally bumped into someone and she was almost positive she had walked into some form of a wall, but walls didn’t reach out to grab you to prevent you from falling.

“Careful,” the large Triceraton said in their slow, calm voice.

“My apologies—,” Euthalia started, before she noticed that the red facial markings of the other Triceraton had been carefully altered to appear as one belonging to a soldier. She wouldn’t have seen it hadn’t she been as close as she was and on the lookout for anything amiss.  
She quickly noted the particular shade of orange of their scales and noted the scar running over the left eye. “Iviana?” she whispered, her voice nearly disappearing in the clamour of the market.

The red female next to who could be Iviana narrowed her eyes, her own facial marking altered to look like an ordinary nurse’s marking.

“Yes,” the large one replied as she crossed her arms. “Who are you?”

“I’m…” Euthalia nearly lost her nerve, but Aristomache squeezing her hand hardened her resolve. “I’m Euthalia and this is my daughter Aristomache, we… we seek help. My husband, Rivie, is abusive and…” Her voice trailed off, she had noticed Iviana’s reaction to her husband’s name and had sneered in an eerily similar way as he did.

“Are you currently injured?” Iviana asked in a near growl.

“Only bruises.”

“Kallistrate will have a look at you both when we reach our base.”

The red Triceraton, Kallistrate, nodded in agreement. “I’ll check for any improperly healed injuries as well,” she said, before turning her attention back to Iviana. “Abandon the mission?”

“You and I will, contact the others and have them go through with it and tell Kaesa to join them.”

Kallistrate nodded, before she withdrew slightly to do as told. She soon returned to inform that she had done as told, before she started making her way out of the marketplace.

“Follow,” Iviana said to the mother-daughter duo, before turning around to follow in Kallistrate. Despite the action, she was fully aware that Euthalia and her daughter quickly followed.

Despite Iviana’s rather large stature, she took care in not forcing her way through the throngs of people and oftentimes they parted for her.

Several minutes later, they had finally reached the outskirts of the market without issues and Iviana immediately made her way to the abandoned buildings nearby after discreetly making sure that no one watched too closely.  
She deliberately had Euthalia and her daughter to walk closer to her as though they were a family unit, her physique allowing her to pass as a male.

They moved in silence, Euthalia didn’t know how much time had passed since they left the market and she was growing worried again. She had led her daughter into the unknown and she had no idea how the Hellhounds would treat them, despite all the good things she had heard about them. Her husband always spoke negatively of them and he had been particularly gleeful when the news of Iviana’s capture nearly eight years ago had become common knowledge. Her escape less than a year ago had enraged him.

“In,” Iviana said suddenly as she motioned toward a door to one of the many dilapidated buildings.

Euthalia couldn’t help but wonder why the gang a place like this as their base, there didn’t seem to be any kind of security. What did she know, it could be hidden as to not arouse any suspicions.

“You are lucky,” Iviana said when they were inside. “A day later and we would have been back on our ship.”

Euthalia had no chance to reply as Kallistrate appeared and ushered them both to the assigned medical bay for their examination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had intended on writing something else, but Euthalia decided to slap me with the inspiration to write her story of how she met the Hellhounds and subsequently joined them.
> 
> Rivie is Iviana's older brother, hence her reaction to hearing his name. She wasn't a hundred percent certain that her brother and Euthalia's husband were the same person, but hearing about the abuse made her suspicions ever stronger.


	9. Pre- and Post-mission

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Iviana and Drex plans a mission.
> 
> Kallistrate and Tawn deal with the aftermath.

_Pre-mission_

Iviana leveled a stare at Drexel.  
"You seem to be under the impression that only you and yours are to be put into harm's way," she said in her usual gruff, slow and deliberate manner.  
She didn't sound _slow_ as such, merely in no rush.

Drexel started, before he took a moment to think it through.  
"I hadn’t realised it," he slowly replied. In hindsight, it seemed absurd that he had been operating under such… _delusion_. The Hellhounds were more than capable of handling themselves and, in some ways, more experienced in these kinds of missions than he and his clan were.

The Hellhounds had operated for a slightly longer time after all, especially some members.

"Let's thus try this again," Iviana said with a near imperceptible smirk, "and divide the groups more evenly."

Drexel couldn’t help but chuckle slightly.  
"Agreed," he replied. "We probably should allow teams consisting of equal number of Hellhounds and Clan members."

Iviana nodded in agreement. "Let us keep the numbers relatively low for each group and assign the most experienced member leadership."

"Who would you suggest for the first group?"

 

_Post-mission_

Kallistrate levelled an unimpressed stare at the orange male sitting on one of the beds in her med bay. She was even more unimpressed by his sheepish grin.  
"Why is it, that you _always_ end up getting hurt and sent to me?" she asked through gritted teeth.

She raised her hand.  
"No, wait, don't answer it," she continued without letting him answer her initial question. She muttered, "though I can't fathom why _I_ have to be your personal medic."  
She glared at him as though daring him to answer that.

Tawn, unfortunately, opened his mouth to do exactly that but she headed that off when she very deliberately aggravated the injury she initially gently cleaned.  
He yelped and very nearly yanked his arm away from her grip, it was only the thought of not awakening her full (true) ire that stopped him.

"Good boy," Kallistrate muttered snarkily as she continued to gently clean his wound before finally bandaging it.  
She ignored Tawn’s ridiculous (yet very adorable) preening as though she had genuinely complimented him.

"Now get out of here, I don't want to see you here again," she said. Her tone not quite reaching that grouchiness she had aimed for and instead she sounded far too fond for her own comfort.

Tawn's answering grin made it clear that he had managed to pick up on said fondness, making her scowl.  
"Yes, ma’am," he saluted with a grin as he hopped off the bed.

He left with a wink.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been poking at this for months now and it feels very much unfinished, but I figured I'd throw it up here anyway.  
> I'll most likely make a new attempt sometime later on when I have a more concrete idea.
> 
> Drex and Tawn belongs to TwilightLove at deviantART, borrowed with her permission.


End file.
